Best Friends Forever
by DaisukiFox
Summary: Sometimes we have to search for something closer than we thought and look towards the future... even if it's unexpected. RanmaXRyoga.
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys! This is something I've been wanting to try and thought it'd be cute. Not sure if I wanna' make anything out of it, probably not since this one is just too cute to try and make it into a whole story. ^^

Disclaimer: I don't own Ranma! :(

-Line-

It was the night of Kuno's bachelor party and the whole of the male crew were in fine, drunken spirits when he generously fit the bill. Kuno was now twenty one and was to wed Nabiki Tendo the next day. Much had happened to the young martial artists, Kuno had discovered that Ranma was his Pigtailed Girl and had chosen to court Nabiki instead. Akane had made it clear that she was not interested in him and he had listened for once. Mousse had won the heart of Shampoo and they had married earlier that year and Cologne had turned over the ownership of the Neko Hanten to them. Ukyou finally gave up on Ranma and accepted Konatsu's suit, they soon closed up shop and moved to another city for a fresh start. Kodachi met a nice guy at a dance club that loved her to death and thought her whimsical behaviour to be cute. Akane inherited some money that her mother left her when she came of age and announced that she was leaving. She didn't want to be railroaded into a loveless marriage, Ranma had become like a brother to her in the four years that he lived with her family. So she'd gone traveling and according to her last letter, she met someone and followed him to his home in Canada to meet his parents. That left only Ranma and Ryoga unattached as Ryoga had long since left Akari because he couldn't stand her pig fetish.

The boys had gone to the obligatory strip clubs to watch pretty girls parade their untouchable wares before them. All had declined a lap dance as their various spouses, girlfriends or fiancées were all jealous women and would have killed them. Then it was on to male bonding over playing poker where the rich man won the pot, but generously donated it to cover their drinks. They ended the evening at a cigar bar where they all choked on a cigar which they shared amongst them as they had one final drink of sake before calling it a night. They had gotten not stupid drunk, but silly drunk and were toasting to anything that they could think of.

Kuno stood up and swayed slightly as he said "Here's to Ranma. If I hadn't been pursuing your female side, I would have never realized how cute Nabiki is"

This got a laugh from the other revelers as they all clinked glasses, then Mousse stood up "I agree, here's to you Ranma. If you hadn't suggested to Shampoo and I that trying to defeat each other was stupid and if we wanted to marry, all we had to do was register it at the courthouse, I would still be chasing her" he added.

"How did you manage to get her to agree to forgo the marriage of defeat law?" Ryoga asked.

Mousse just raised his eyebrows at the lost boy "Let's just say that I managed to convince her" he said vaguely, this caused the lost boy to blush. Everyone laughed and clinked their glasses again.

Ryoga watched Ranma was he laughed along with the rest; he'd been worried about him lately. After Akane had left, he'd become more silent and seemed to glitter less, not that his martial arts prowess was any less effective. Ryoga and he had eventually stopped fighting and had started talking again. It was nice to have his friend back, in some ways Ranma was the best friend that Ryoga had ever had. Ryoga had noticed that people always seemed to be drawn to Ranma; there was just something about him that made people want to be near him. He was a natural leader, a diamond in the rough with a heart of gold that he liked to keep hidden under a quick temper and teasing manner. 'Plus his female side was really cute' Ryoga thought with a blush, he was glad that it didn't show in the dim light of the bar.

They had another round and Ranma, the inexperienced drinker put his head on the table and was soon asleep. "Want any more of this?" Kuno asked Mousse and handed him the cigar that they were struggling to finish.

The Chinese martial artist looked distinctly green around the gills at the thought "No thanks, I promised Shampoo that I would be there to help her with the breakfast rush. I should actually call it a night" he said.

"I suppose we all should, after all I'm getting married tomorrow and don't want my best man and groomsmen to look horrible" Kuno said. "Speaking of which, is someone going to wake Ranma?"

Ryoga reached over and shook the sleeping boy; he just muttered but remained stubbornly asleep. He lightly slapped him and got the same results "I think he's done for the night. Perhaps we should carry him?" he suggested.

"Make him smaller so that he will be easier to carry" Kuno suggested.

"Huh?" Ryoga said.

"Use his curse, if it were you or Mousse we would turn you into your cursed forms to make you easier to transport. Make him into a girl, it would look better carrying a drunken girl than guy" Kuno suggested.

"Good idea" Ryoga said. "Miss, can we get a glass of cold water?" he asked the waitress.

She was surprised when Ryoga flung it over his friend's head and scooped up a petite redheaded woman where once sat a young dark-haired man. "Is it magic?" she asked in awe.

"In a manner of speaking" Ryoga responded, gave her a shy smile and went out to join the others.

"We should split a cab" Kuno suggested.

"I'm surprised that you didn't book a limo" Mousse remarked.

Kuno grinned "And have my dear Nabiki find out that we went to see strippers? She has better contacts than the FBI" he explained as he flagged a cab.

"Sorry pal, there are five of you" the cabdriver said apologetically as he pointed out that he only had four seats available.

Kuno pulled of his wallet and started counting out yen notes "Are you sure you can't help us? We're not going far and our female companion's small and can sit on her boyfriend's lap"

Ranma's 'boyfriend' opened his mouth to protest this suggestion just as the swayed cabdriver said "hop in." Ryoga grumbled slightly and refused to meet the other's amused eyes as he climbed into the back and set Ranma on his knees. He carefully cradled her so that her head was on his shoulder. While everyone else made drunken observations, he found himself studying her sleeping face. She'd matured just like the rest of them and her rounded, baby features had leaned to make them more that of a woman's than a girl's. But she was no less adorable than she'd been as a newly cursed sixteen-year-old. She still wore her flame bright hair in its customary braid; this uncovered her delicate fox-coloured eyebrows and eyelashes, baby cheeks, button nose and pouty soft pink lips. For a second, Ryoga was tempted to kiss her awake like in a fairytale and blushed at the thought. She sat on his lap with her head nestled onto his shoulder while his arms held her in place. He could feel her breathe whisper-soft upon his neck. He gulped at his desire to touch her petal soft cheek and kiss her. He was happy when the cab pulled up in front of the Tendo house and he maneuvered his small burden out and whispered goodnight to his friends. They ribbed him good-naturedly and drove off into the night to seek their own beds.

Ryoga used his key to let them both in; he'd been given one for when he stayed over as guest. He tiptoed through the slumbering household, slid open the screen to Ranma's room and deposited her on her futon. He picked up his pack and despaired that he hadn't arranged for a place to stay because now he would have to drunkenly set up camp somewhere before he could sleep.

"Ryoga?" Ranma said.

"Now you wake up after I had to carry your rear end home?" Ryoga said in amusement.

"I fell asleep? Guess I'm not much of a drinker" Ranma said. "Where are you going?" she asked.

"I need to find a place to stay" he said pulling the straps up his arms.

"Stay here, the other futon is free now that Pops moved home" she said and stood up and wiggled out of her clothes, almost falling in the process. "Guess I'm still drunk" she said sheepishly as she flopped back onto the futon in her undershirt and boxers. She was asleep before Ryoga could thank her for letting him stay.

Ryoga slipped off his shirt and lay down in his pants. He undid and removed his bandana, ran his fingers through his thick hair to smooth it before settling back on the futon and tugging the blankets up around him. He was soon asleep as well.

He was awoken a few hours later by soft sobs "Ranma are you okay?" he whispered.

"I'm fine" said a sad voice.

"What's wrong?" Ryoga asked in concern and turned on the lights to find Ranma huddled into her pillow.

"I just felt depressed all of the sudden" she said.

"Well alcohol is supposed to be a depressant" Ryoga said and walked over to her futon. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.

She turned over; tears glittered on her long eyelashes like diamonds. Ryoga thought she looked sad and painfully lovely at the same time. "I just get sick of it, everyone falling in love and getting married when there's no one for me" she said with repressed sobs in her voice.

"Is this about Akane?" Ryoga asked.

"Yes, no, maybe. I didn't love her, but I was comfortable with her and would have married her as a friend. I've never loved anyone!" she sobbed.

"Liking someone isn't reason enough marry them, Akane knew that, that's why she left" Ryoga said. "She didn't love me either" Ryoga pointed out.

"I'm never going to find someone to love" Ranma said, the pain in her voice made Ryoga look at Ranma as not being just a man in a woman's body, but as a person who needed comfort. He sat on the futon and drew her to his so that her head lay on his rock hard chest. Their tops were pressed together, while her legs were curled to her left side. She finally admitted to someone how miserable she was as his large hands stroked her small back and shoulders through her undershirt. She knew that she should be weirded out at being held so intimately against another man, but somehow it felt natural to be held by Ryoga this way. She could feel his steady heartbeat and it helped to sooth her pain while her sobs dwindled. Finally she leaned back embarrassed and looked into her friend's velvety brown eyes. There was such tenderness and understanding in them that it made her feel better, here was someone who understood about the pain of loneliness.

Ryoga silently wiped away a stray tear from her face and looked into her watery blue eyes; the male Ranma had slate blue eyes, while the female had vivid blue. Touching her cheek the way he'd wanted to in the cab only confirmed his belief that her cheeks were baby soft. She was still cuddled into him and he noted how well her small frame fit against him.

He waited for her to speak, but she kept on looking at him with teary blue eyes. As if of its own accord, his face move forward and closed the distance between them to claim her lips with his own. He gave her little more than a ghost of a kiss and pulled back to study her features. She looked surprised but moved forward in time with him as he went to kiss her again, as if they were a pair of irresistible magnets. Her breath was sweet and her lips curled beneath his so smooth and plait. Her arms snaked around him and her fingers buried themselves in his thick, dark hair. His arms tightened around her, her kiss electrified him; igniting passions that he never knew existed in him. He couldn't believe that just a kiss could make him feel so alive, he felt positively giddy!

It was over far too soon and Ranma snuggled against him and placed her head on his shoulder. Ryoga held her while he struggled to get his breathing back to normal as his cheek nuzzled against her soft red hair. Ryoga soon realized that Ranma had fallen asleep, lulled by his body warmth and pondered what to do. He didn't wish to wake her up by pulling away, but he was really tired. He held still for a few minutes and then eased her back; taking her with him, until she lay cuddled into him while he arranged the blankets over them both. Considering he'd never slept with someone this way, it should have been awkward for Ryoga, but he fell asleep immediately and didn't move for the rest of the night.

Ranma woke up and wondered who was holding him, she opened her eyes and quickly deduced that he was a she and it was Ryoga's chest that she was pillowed on. She blushed a bit and wondered what had happened the night before, then relaxed when she remembered that he had only held and kissed her. She wondered why that didn't bother her and then realized that she didn't want to move; she felt so cared about and safe being held by Ryoga. She snuggled back into his neck to block out the sunlight, his arm tightened around her in his sleep and she drifted off smiling at the memory of their kiss. She could still taste him on her lips.

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Well guys... I know this is out of the blue for me but I got curious. This was edited by a friend of mine who really wanted to pratice editing for me. Although my friend edited too much and added too much words. Although I kinda' like this... also it fits my ideas of what could possibly happen. At least this is better than my unedited version! ^^

Please share your thoughts on this with me!

DaisukiFox~


	2. Chapter 2

Well, I got bored yesterday and decided to write this little chapter up. I've been having some free time lately and I think this'll make up for the fact that it usually takes me a week to update.

Once again... my friend got too excited with the editing. ^^

Oh well, I've been wanting to seem more serious anyways. :D

Disclaimer:I don't own Ranma!

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Ryoga woke up and smiled at the sight of the redheaded woman wrapped in his arms. Somehow that she wasn't actually a female didn't bother him, Ranma was still Ranma, no matter which form and Ryoga cared about him. Ryoga blushed slightly when he realized how intently he was examining her. He touched her braid and noted that some of her hair was escaping from the tight plait. She was going to have to rebraid it he realized. He had a vision of himself combing her thick, wavy hair loose over the creamy flesh of her back and then dividing it into three heavy strands and braiding it for her. He would finish by pressing a kiss onto her smooth shoulder and her turning and giving him a look of love. Ryoga blushed at the image; it wasn't dirty but implied a degree of intimacy that he'd never shared with anyone. He carefully got out of bed, pulled on his shirt, took his comb out of his pack and combed his hair, not realizing that he was being observed. He left off his bandana and went to the kitchen to brew a pot of tea because Kasumi wasn't awake yet.

Ranma pretend to sleep as she admired how Ryoga combing his hair pulled his shirt tight against his solidly muscled body and caused his muscles to dance with each stroke. He had a look of concentration on his ruggedly handsome face that she found endearing. She wondered where he was going as he padded softly from the room and then returned minutes later with a tray of tea and a bottle of aspirin. Seeing she was awake, he smiled at her self-consciously. Ranma felt relaxed in his easy company but also a little shy after the night before.

"I thought you might have a hangover" Ryoga explained as he poured her a cup of tea and handed her two aspirins.

"Thanks Ryoga" she said, popping the pills between her pouty lips and gratefully sipped her tea, unaware what effect her dimpled smile was having on the lost boy.

Ryoga blushed and cleared his throat, "so we have to meet Kuno and everyone else to pick up our tuxes and get ready at his place, before we have brunch and go to the church" he said.

Ranma could sense that the kiss of the night before was making Ryoga feel awkward and chose not to mention it. "Yes as best man, I've kept Nabiki's ring here with me. It's a really nice ring. Would you like to see it?" she asked.

"Sure" Ryoga said eager to get past the strange feelings that came over him when he was around Ranma.

Ranma went over to her dresser and fished out the small box from under her clothes. Both of them admired the platinum diamond and sapphire eternity band. "I never knew that Nabiki's fingers were so thin" Ryoga commented, looking at the girth of the band itself.

"It's not that small, it fits on my finger. See?" Ranma said slipping it onto her ring finger. Ryoga glanced over to see her wearing a wedding band and shivered as he got a sense of déjà vu.

"Are you cold?" she asked wrapping her arms around him. She glanced up at him and wanted to kiss him again.

Ryoga looked into her sweet, upturned face and gently pushed her away. "I'm just fine, you should go change" he suggested, wishing desperately that she would change her form. This one was far too tempting with her beautiful girl-next-door good looks and sugar-sweet voice that could enslave a man.

Ranma stood back and frowned "yes I guess I should go take a bath. I must smell filthy after last night" she agreed and got into her robe.

Ryoga sagged back against the door and groaned, actually her skin smelled as sweet as a baby's and her hair of night blooming jasmine. 'Why am I acting like this around Ranma?' he questioned himself.

Ranma washed herself and shrieked when she flung the bucket of cool water over her head. She stood up and examined herself in the mirror, noticing as if for the first time that the swell of her bosom and curve of her hips made her small waist look miniscule and showed off her flat stomach and long legs. "I'm pretty" she thought and then climbed into the bath and became her usual self.

He returned to his room and Ryoga was relieved to see his male friend. Ranma dressed and then they went on their way to meet Kuno.

Ranma stood beside Kuno, Mousse and Ryoga at the end of the aisle. The older man was nervous, but excited at the same time and had flipped between wondering a loud if he was doing the right thing by getting married this young and giddily boasting of his future wife's intelligence and charm.

Ranma nudged him as Nabiki reached the end of the aisle and Kuno's eyes went wide with shock at how beautiful she looked. She gave him a ghost of her former smirk at his reaction. She wore a form fitting nineteen thirties style wedding gown of ivory silk that shimmered and shifted as she moved. It had a ruched straps and neckline, which flowed into a formfitting skirt that terminated in a flowing train. The only adornment she wore on her head was a jeweled ivory feather fascinator. She'd looked beautiful as she had walked towards him; her dress flowed against her body and promised long legs and a trim, athletic figure. She appeared to wearing no bra and obviously none was needed. Kuno's face lit up and all doubts were cast aside as he accepted her hand from Soun Tendo. Ranma watched the touching scene and couldn't help feeling a stab of envy at how the bride and groom looked at each other. He felt eyes on him and looked at Ryoga; something was exchanged in that glance.

Ranma trained his glance on the bridesmaids Kasumi, AKANE and Shampoo, all wore beautiful, turquoise a line gowns that complimented each beautiful woman.

Ranma's throat got tight as Nabiki handed her bouquet of white and blue rose to Akane and said:

"I, Nabiki pledge my undying love to you Tatewaki as I invite you to share my life. I promise to be kind, unselfish, respectful, and trustworthy so that together, our dreams of a beautiful future can come true. To this end I call upon all present to witness that I take you Tatewaki to be my husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health for as long as we both shall live." She smiled humorless at the richer part, which her groom returned.

Kuno seemed to swallow a lump in his throat and repeated the vows in a voice that was chocked with emotions. There wasn't a dry eye in the house when they exchanged their kiss while he held her like she was the most precious thing in the entire world. She blushed and giggled when they were presented as Mr. and Mrs. Kuno.

"Looks like we made it Kuno-baby" she said with a smile in her voice.

"Wasn't this worth all those times you took care of me?" he asked stroking her cheek.

Everyone lined up to kiss the bride, Mousse clapped Kuno on the shoulder and said "welcome to the land of the marrieds"

Shampoo frowned at him and he put his arm around her "it's the best state to be in" he said looking tenderly at his wife.

She playfully swatted him with her bouquet "you'd better love it" she admonished.

"I do" he said squeezing her tight and she giggled.

"Is it hard for you being here?" Ryoga whispered to Ranma out of concern

"I'll live, I'm just happy for my friends" he said, brushing off his feelings of longing.

Shampoo hugged Akane when they we relieved of their bridal duties. "Is so nice to see you. I guess you get in really late last night" she said.

Akane hugged her friend back "good to see you too. How's married life?" she asked her.

"It wonderful, Mousse is too too good husband" she said.

"Now where your boyfriend? I not meet him yet" Shampoo said.

"He right over there, his name is Brian Tanaka" Akane said pointing to a tall, attractive Asian man who was talking to Kuno.

"Tanaka? Isn't that Japanese?" Shampoo asked.

"Yes his parents are from Japan but he was born in Canada, so he's Asian-Canadian" Akane explained.

Shampoo laughed "silly Akane, you leave Japan to travel and find Japanese man? You could have just stayed here." Akane thought about it and then joined in her laughter, which called the rest of the crew over to welcome her back.

"Come we must have some champagne to toast Akane's return" Kuno said and he signaled a waitperson over.

"Sorry Shampoo can't have any" Shampoo said.

"Shampoo do you mean...?" Mousse said with his eyes going wide with shock.

"We're pregnant!" she cried happily to her stunned husband. There was a flurry of congratulations.

"I think that your children are going to have lots of relations that they aren't really related to" Ryoga observed.

"Actually, Mousse and I discuss this. In our village the whole tribe raises a child. We don't live in the village however. Will you all agree to be our tribe? We all have been through so much together in four years, you're all practically like family to me" she said.

Mousse already had his hand on her still flat belly and Kuno put his over Mousse's, "consider me Uncle Kuno" he declared.

"I'm Aunt Nabiki" Nabiki said adding her hand.

Ukyou came to join them, for the occasion she wore a tuxedo while Konatsu wore a kimono. When it was explained to them what was going on she said "I'm Aunt Ukyou" and placed her hand over all the rest. One by one the gang made the pledge until there was only Ranma and Ryoga left.

"I'm Uncle Ryoga" he swore.

"I'm Uncle Ranma" Ranma said and placed his hand over Ryoga's, their eyes met and Shampoo giggled when a hand started to tickle her.

"I guess we have a village" she said.

The band struck up a well known song and Ryoga asked "do pregnant women dance?" to Shampoo.

"Yes but I lead, last time you led we ended up in Paris on Eiffel tower. It was bizarre" she said and gave him her hand.

"You don't mind do you Mousse?" Ryoga asked.

"Take my wife please" Mousse said with a grin. She batted him with her bouquet again and walked onto the dance floor with Ryoga. Ranma watched as they danced past him, they were both graceful and moved well together. Ranma thought about what it would like if Ryoga were dancing with the female her. He shivered slightly at the idea and cast a covert glance at Kuno and Mousse. Both were attractive in different ways. Both had matured, grown taller and leaned as they headed towards adulthood. Kuno was more classically handsome with well defined rugged features, whereas was Mousse almost pretty. Mousse had had his eyes fixed with laser surgery, improving his appearance one hundred percent and uncovering his blue-grey eyes. Ranma wondered if he would have the same reaction if he kissed either of them as he had Ryoga. Or did he have to be in female form? He blushed at the idea of pouring a glass of cold water over himself and having to ask for permission of Nabiki and Shampoo if she could kiss their husbands. As if sensing his thoughts, Kuno glanced at Ranma and said with concern "you look flushed Ranma, would you like a glass of iced water?"

This caused Ranma to blush even more, but he was rescued by Akane before he had to reply. "Would you care to dance?" she asked.

"Sure" he said relieved to get away from his thoughts.

"How are you Akane?" he asked as they danced.

"Happy, I can't tell you how peaceful my life is now that I don't live in Nerima. It's nice not having five million martial artists trying to challenge you for me and tons of your fiancées roaming around" she said. "Mind you everyone that I left behind seems to have thrived. How about you, is there someone in your life?" she asked.

Ranma blushed "there is someone I like" he admitted.

"I'm really glad. I'm sorry that I left so abruptly, but I needed a life of my own. The first thing I did when I reached European soil was throw my mallet into the ocean. I'm happy in Canada with Brian, his parents are nice and I'm going to be attending university next year. I will always be fond of you Ranma, but I never wanted to marry you" she said. "Oh dear, that came out so wrong" she said with a groan.

"It's okay Akane, I'm starting to realize that we were only ever meant to be friends" Ranma said. "I'm happy that you're happy and wish you and Brian the best"

"And I wish you all the best too" Akane said smiling at her ex-fiancée as she recognized the look of a person smitten.

The wedding went on long into the night, Ranma and Ryoga had chosen not to imbibe too heavily of the open bar due to having overindulged the night before. "I'm staying in Nabiki's old room for the next little while, she insisted. I've had enough wedding fun. Would you care to go home Ranma?" Ryoga asked.

Ranma felt a surge of happiness when Ryoga called Ranma's home his.

"Definitely, I need to change out of this monkey suit" he said tugging at his collar.

"Let's go then" Ryoga said and the two identically dressed boys took a cab back to the Tendo house. They both shyly changed in separate rooms. Ranma kept on examining himself in the mirror and just felt wrong for some reason. With a trembling hand, he filled a glass with cold water and poured it over his head. She opened her eyes and looked at herself, on impulse she undid her braid and shook her hair loose, and then went to Akane's room to borrow some clothes.

Ryoga had changed into his normal attire and was sitting on the roof when Ranma joined him; he looked up in amusement to see her with her hair loose and wearing black Capri pants and a purple top. He didn't even think when he spread his arms open to her and neither did she when she sat on his lap and slipped her arms around him. He held her close, her body felt firm but soft at the same time. They sat in companionable silence just holding each other and watching the stars.

"Beautiful wedding" Ryoga commented.

"Yes it was" she said with a sigh. "Look a falling star!" she said and pointed to the streak of light and made a fervent wish.

"Did you make a wish?" Ryoga asked.

"Yes, I wished that you would kiss me again" she admitted, wondering if her blushing face was glowing in the dark. Ryoga entwined his fingers in her soft hair and got lost in the sweetness of her lips, but also felt like he had come home for the first time.

-line-

I've decided to make this more than a oneshot. Cause I know everyone liked the first chapter so much. I know, it's too common for me to make oneshots into whole stories.

I need to be more decisive.

Please share your thoughts with me!

DaisukiFox~


	3. Chapter 3

You know, some stories need to be more in depth. That's what I was thinking and I think thsi'll be perfect for giving everyone more a good feel of how the situation between Ranma and Ryoga is really like.

I know this seems really outta' my style lately. But I just wanna' write without having to work so hard to get them together, also, I think this is very possible if even these circumstance between Ranma and Ryoga.

My friend loves going crazy with the words. My pal wanted to replace my Franzibald editor... but no way am I giving up my fav editor. Although it makes it tough having two...

Well, sorry for running my mouth everyone! XD

Disclaimer:I-I can believe I don't own Ranma! I'm gonna' complain about it on my live journal! I sure hope my mother loves this weeks post.(lol Kidding.)

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Ryoga watched Ranma as she trained with him, they moved in perfect sync as she instructed him in some new techniques that she felt would make him more powerful. He was extremely flattered that she had chosen to teach him her secret techniques. It showed him that she knew that he would never use them against her. Their fight was over and both had won, it seemed fair to Ryoga.

He'd been staying with the Tendos and had even taken a job at the post office to help supplement their income; it was just right down the street from them. Ranma walked him there every morning on his way to school and picked him up at the end of his shift just in time for dinner. Ryoga was enjoying staying with the family and having a roof over his head for the first time in years. That he was secretly seeing the female Ranma was an added bonus.

After the first time that Ranma had worn female clothes for him, he'd assured her that anything that she wore looked good on her and he just wanted her to be herself. Their relationship had been tentative at first; they loved to make out and had done a little light petting and some innocent exploration, but nothing below the waist. Ranma despite having little modesty had proven shy about exposing herself as a lover and Ryoga was saving himself for his wedding night. So by unspoken agreement, they kissed heavily and kept their touches clean. They had slept together, but not in the biblical sense. They had fallen asleep snuggled up one night and both had been nervous about discovery when they'd woken up in Ryoga's room in sleep rumpled clothes. A quick douse from the electric kettle that he kept in his room turned a rumpled her into a rumpled him and Ryoga had snuck her into the toilet room. Kasumi asked why him was he was up so late, Ryoga had told her that they had been sparring in the dojo since early that morning.

Ryoga was happy with their clandestine affair seeing how it damaged neither reputation nor hurt anyone, but Ranma seemed to have other ideas. She seemed to want them to have them act as a couple and insisted on them going out on dates when he was a she. Ryoga was reluctant to go places where people might know them and took her to dive restaurants and out of the way movie theatres, Ranma wasn't too happy about this, but went along with it. Ryoga thought it a little odd but had to admit that the experience of holding her close while watching a movie felt natural as they sat in the dark with his arm around her and her head resting on his shoulder. He especially didn't mind when she pulled him in for a kiss. He loved kissing her and she was very good at it.

Ryoga walked into the coffee shop and smiled at his friends. Mousse and Kuno were already at the table, he loved all their friends and the couples that they knew, but had a special spot in his heart for the male half of Ranma's former enemies. It had happened when Ryoga was about eighteen when the question of who was with who was settled. It was almost like one day they had laid down their weapons, stopped fighting and said "let's go for a drink". This left the girls to bond in a similar fashion, to discover that the other three bright, independent women held similar values and compatible personalities that allowed them to become close friends. Ryoga studied the men in front of him, for that was what indeed they were. They met as boys and watched each other grow to be intelligent, confident men in the four years that they had known each other. Mousse normally wore his long hair in a ponytail while he worked and took it out afterwards and Kuno still wore his short, but had stopped teasing his bangs. As for Ryoga, he wore his neatly clipped to his shoulders. He'd lost his scissors on one of his trips and couldn't find a place to get it cut, so by the time he found his way back to Nerima it was shoulder length. Ranma had said that it looked great and that compliment had convinced him to keep it that way.

Ryoga frowned, when Mousse had called him and suggested that they drag Kuno out the day he returned from his honeymoon to have a guy's night with him, Ryoga had forgotten to tell Ranma about it. Somehow the idea of inviting him to a guy's night seemed wrong. He toyed with the idea of calling him to tell him about it and then dismissed the idea; he kind of wanted to have a relaxing night with his other friends, free of Ranma. "Hi knuckleheads" he said affectionately.

"Hi pig breath; have you stopped working out Ryoga? Look at the gut on you" Kuno countered sweetly. This was the way that they normally greeted each other, it harkened back to their friend-enemy days. Kuno looked at his friends "couldn't you have waited a few days before dragging me from my wife?" he asked.

Mousse and Ryoga shared a grin "no way, we missed you, it's been far too sane around here without you" Ryoga said.

"Speaking of sane, what was it like having Kodachi and Hiro along on your honeymoon?" Mousse asked.

Kuno smiled "actually it was really fun, we would all do things together or us two couples would things separately. Nabiki and Kodachi really bonded this trip and so did we. It good that Kodachi and I are getting along, we spent too many years at odds with each other. I have some news" he said mysteriously.

"Oh, what would that be?" Mousse asked.

"Hiro asked my permission to marry Kodachi" Kuno explained.

"That's wonderful!" Ryoga said "what did you say?"

"I asked him how much I could give him to take her off my hands" Kuno said. They all laughed.

"Everyone's hooking up or getting married these days" Mousse mused. "How about you Ryoga, are you seeing the future Mrs. Hibiki and just not telling us about her?" he teased.

Ryoga gulped when Ranma's beautiful face came into his mind "you guys would know if I was. It's so wonderful about Kodachi" he said with more enthusiasm than he'd intended.

"So another sucker bound for the altar?" Mousse said and started humming 'another one bites the dust'

"You're one to talk, you were so impatient to get to the church that you almost gave us whiplash driving us there" Kuno chided. "How is Shampoo's pregnancy going? It has been a month since we had a real conversation"

Mousse smiled at the thought of his wife "she's revived my old nickname of 'stupid duck boy' but has added 'you did this to me' to it when she's having morning sickness" he answered. "But I don't mind because she's having our beautiful baby"

Ryoga and Kuno looked at each other "aw isn't that precious" Ryoga said cupping his hands beneath his chin and fluttering his eyelashes while Kuno pretended to stick his fingers down his throat and made gagging sounds.

"Sounds like you fell into the wrong cursed spring. It should have been you and not Ranma who fell into the spring of the drowned young girl, you can be such a chick Mousse" Kuno teased and threw a napkin at Mousse, who just laughed good naturedly and then turn to Ryoga. "Where is Ranma anyway, I thought Mousse told you to invite him?"

Ryoga thought for a second and lied "Kasumi asked him to paint the bathroom now that her father's away" he explained.

"Oh, well perhaps he can join us later" Kuno said.

"Perhaps" Ryoga agreed.

"Speaking of Ranma, I have a bone to pick with you. Ryoga. Shampoo was telling me that she saw you and Ranma standing in line up to see 'Revenge of the Lost Laundry Sock Part VI" Mousse said. "Why didn't you invite me? You know I've been dying to see that movie" he complained

"There was a line up to see that piece of crap?" Kuno asked.

"What are you talking about? I love that series. You really feel for that sock. Just think he gets lost in the lint trap and his owners, thinking him gone, throw out his mate. Then he was rescued, only to be throw out in the next bag of garbage, so he comes back seeking his revenge and his lost mate" Mousse said with emotion in his voice.

Ryoga and Kuno stared at him to see if he was serious; he was. "The first one was stupid and each sequel was worse then the next" Kuno declared.

"What do you know about good movies?" Mousse said with snub in his voice. "So how was it?" he asked Ryoga.

Ryoga blushed; all that he'd remembered about that movie was Ranma's velvety mouth and how the lights of the movie reflected off her wavy, red hair "okay I guess" he said cautiously.

"I heard that Ranma was in girl form" Mousse added.

"She was, t-there was no hot water. Sorry we didn't invite you, it was a last minute decision" Ryoga stammered nervously.

"What do you mean there was no hot water?" Kuno snarled as he set his cup down with a thump. "Didn't the contractors I hired to make repairs to that firetrap of a house replace the pipes as I insisted?"

"Y-yes they did" Ryoga said, wishing he was drinking something stronger.

"Well I'm going to call them tomorrow and give them a piece of my mind. I didn't spend all that money fixing up my father-in-law's house so that you're still running out of hot water" he raged.

"But aren't you rich?" Mousse asked.

"I don't spend money needlessly, that is how you keep your money" Kuno said wisely.

"The house is fine, man I would love a beer right now" Ryoga said hastily.

The other two pondered this "I'm game; I just have to call the missus to let her know" Kuno said and pulled out his cell phone.

"I have the night free because we're having our commercial kitchen refitted" Mousse said and pulled out his own cell.

Mousse's conversation was like this:

"Hi honey I'm still with the boys and Ryoga suggested that we go grab a beer. We'll probably be heading to the pub. No we're not going to get drunk, I'll probably be home before nine. You want me to pick you up a BLT sandwich?" Mousse cupped his hand over the phone "Ryoga do they serve BLTs at the pub?" he asked.

"I think you can get something similar at the MacDonald's next door" Ryoga suggested.

"I can probably get you a chicken sandwich with bacon from MacDonald's. Is that okay?" he told her. "Oh if I'm going there you want a Big Mac, large fries with pickles and a milkshake. Don't you mean Big Mac with extra pickles?" he asked. "No, you want them on the fries. How about you poutine your fries instead?" he asked with his nose wrinkling at the idea. "Okay fries with pickles and poutine it is. What sort of milkshake? Mix all the flavors together, got it. See you when I get home. Love you" he said and hung up. He looked at Ryoga's amused expression "pregnant women" he explained.

Kuno's conversation went like this:

"Hello Mrs. Kuno, no I never will get tired of saying that. Hope you don't mind if I go get some beers with the guys. No there are no girls here, don't be so jealous. There's only one chick if you count Mousse, but he's more like a duck I guess" Kuno said and flicked a glance at his friend, earning a death glare from him. Yes I'll bring you home a present, don't I always? Love you, see you at home" he said and hung up. "I have to stop by the jewelry store on the way there" he said to them.

"So you don't spend your money unnecessarily?" Mousse asked facetiously.

"What she does to me when I buy her presents makes it all worthwhile" the kendoist said with a snarky smile.

"Perhaps you should leave a message for Ranma so he can join us when he's done painting?" Mousse suggested.

"Good idea" Ryoga said and pulled out his cell, he felt strangely like he was telling his movement to his spouse and didn't like it. He dialed his own number "Hi Ranma" he said into his own voicemail "Mousse, Kuno and I are heading to The Fox and The Fiddle for a few pints. Are you able to join us? No, sorry about that, I'll see you at home" he said and hung up. "He's too tired" he explained and shut his cell phone off.

"Oh well, there's always another night" Kuno said with a shrug.

Meanwhile Ranma

Ranma was on the phone "its okay Kasumi, Ryoga and I can make our own dinner, there's no need to leave your husband to look after two grown men. Ryoga's been tenting most of his life and is more then capable of cooking and Pops and I used to take turns preparing meals. Relax and go look after that baby of yours" he said and hung up after saying goodbye. He looked around and felt such joy to have the place to himself all night long. The first thing he did was pour a glass of cold water over his head. Then went into her room to change into the outfit that she'd been hiding, it was a satin Chinese women's outfit of formfitting shirt and three quarter length pants, such as Shampoo normally wore. It was a beautiful red colour with large purple flowers on it, with the black piping and edging. In fact it had been Shampoo's but she her already impressive dimensions had filled out and she'd grown taller. So she'd donated her outgrown clothes to a charity drive that the whole Nerima Wrecking Crew as involved with. As they grown older, they had tried to atone for their earlier destructive behavior by getting involved in charity events. Ranma had always admired the outfit, even if she hadn't wanted the girl and had secretly purchased it. She knew that the kind heart Chinese girl would have simply given it to her if she had asked, but there was no plausible way to.

Ranma examined herself as she brushed her hair loose and admired herself, the outfit was perfect for her buxom curves and petit body and she felt beautiful. She'd decided to make Ryoga dinner to celebrate their being alone together and wanted to surprise him. He'd told her not to pick him up as he had to run some errands and the GSP app on his cell would lead him home. She went into the kitchen and smiled when she pulled on Kasumi's frilly apron and noticed how cute it looked on her. Smiling she boiled the noodles and prepared the veal and ricotta filling. Ryoga had told her about the delicious cannelloni he'd discovered in Italy one time when he was lost and Ranma had used her own money to buy ingredients to make them with. 'Won't he be surprised' she thought as she hummed while completing her happy task and then set the table. She finished making the garlic bread and Caesar salad, put everything on the table and sat down to wait for him. 'Any minute now' she thought happily.

The Guys

"Okay remember, just one or two pints" Mousse said.

"Hey the wings are on special" Ryoga pointed out. They all exchanged glances; all the boys shared a weakness for wings.

"I just had dinner, so how about we just split two pounds?" Mousse suggested.

"Hum, I guess you're right" Kuno said.

"I haven't had dinner yet" Ryoga said as he'd come straight from work.

"Okay how about three pounds then?" Mousse suggested.

The waitress approached "hi what can I get for you?" she asked with a smile.

"Five pounds of wing, four orders of your double garlic bread and keep bringing drinks until we beg you to stop" he said.

"What the hell! Shampoo's expecting me home by nine" Mousse protested.

"I feel like celebrating with my best pals, come on guys it's on me" Kuno said. "Besides my wife will forgive me when I give her her new watch"

"Great and all I'll have for Shampoo is crappy food" Mousse said mournfully but happily accepted his pint.

Ranma

Ranma looked sadly at her table full of ice cold food and tried Ryoga's cell phone again.

"Where are you Ryoga?" she said sadly when she got his voicemail again.

Ryoga staggered towards the Tendos house and tried to put his key in the lock while squinting through drunken eyes. He fell forwards when the door was yanked open.

Ranma glared at Ryoga, he reeked of alcohol "where the hell have you been?" she cried.

Ryoga sat up and glared back at her "out" he said snidely.

"Out where?" she demanded.

"I had some drinks with Kuno and Mousse if you must know" he said.

"Why wasn't I invited?" she demanded.

"It was a guy's night" Ryoga said.

"I'm a guy!" she declared.

"Are you really? Then why are you acting like a jealous wife or something?" he demanded. "I know that you're curious about your female body but stop acting like I'm your boyfriend or something. I'm sick of you using me for your sick experiment" he yelled at her.

He was surprised when she burst into tears "that's what you think I want from you?" she screamed. "Damnit Ryoga I'm in love with you" she sobbed as she turned from him and hugged herself.

Ryoga was stunned "Ranma?" he asked softly touching her shoulder, she flinched from him.

"I obviously mean nothing to you. You're ashamed to be seen with me, that's the reason for the lousy restaurants and stupid movies" she cried in anguish.

"Ranma you're a guy, you always told me that. How am I supposed to react when you suddenly want to be a girl?" he asked.

"You should accept me and love me as I am; you always were the one who accepted me the most" she said.

"I do care for you" he protested.

"But not enough to risk your reputation and be thought of as a homosexual" she said. "I thought that we could remain as best friends and I could come to our bed as your wife every night. Guess that'll never happen, I was never meant to be loved" she said.

"Ranma I..." he said.

She turned sadly and looked at him with watery eyes "its okay Ryoga, you'll always be my best friend, but you should go now" she said.

Ryoga went to his room and pulled on his pack. He stopped in shock to see the lovingly set table; he sniffed the food and realized that it was cannelloni. He was shocked that Ranma remembered his Italy story. 'She did this for me' he realized. He could hear her crying in her room as he pulled the door closed and left his key under the mat. "Goodbye Ranma" he whispered.

As he walked drunkenly lost through the dark street of Nerima, searching for a place to set up camp, he wondered why his heart was aching so badly.

-line-

DUN! DUN! DUN! Ryoga's gone? Ranma's wearing a dresss? I'm wearing a hat! I mean it... I'm wearing one right now and have no idea why...

Well, hopefully these questions and answers will be told by next time! Except probably the hat thing and dress thing. ^^

DaisukiFox~


	4. Chapter 4

I don't own Ranma.

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Kuno woke up feeling like death warmed over. "Feeling a little rough Kuno-Baby?" Nabiki asked, she wore only one of his white dress shirt (he loved this look on her) and held out a cup of tea to him. He gratefully took it, the warm liquid flowing down his throat felt like sweet ambrosia. "Looks like you really tied one on last night. What do Ryoga and Mousse look like?" she asked.

"I m sure we all equally look like crap this morning" he answered, studying her beauty with appreciation. He was happy that he'd listened to Akane and Ranma as it allowed him to really get to know Nabiki. He d discovered beneath her cynical nature, a loving woman who was the perfect life partner for him. He'd gone along with the pretense of buying photos from her, just to date her, until one day he told her that he didn't want Akane or the Pigtailed girl anymore. She'd looked at him like he truly was crazy and then he asked her to dinner for the next night. She'd come and that had led to them dating exclusively until he'd proposed when he took her to Paris. Now she was his and would be the mother of his children, he blushed slightly at this idea.

Nabiki studied her husband, even hungover he was still one of the most attractive males that she'd ever met.

"What are you doing today?" he asked her curious as to why his normally busy wife was just standing at the end of their bed half naked.

"I called in sick for both of us today. I told them that we caught a fever and were burning up." she said giving him a sexy smile. "I thought that you wouldn't be in any shape to go to the office today."

"Oh? You don t look sick to me Mrs. Kuno" he said, his eyes were glittering with interest.

"What do you mean? I'm feeling really hot" she said and slipped out of his shirt...and into bed with him "feel how hot I am" she purred. Kuno just smiled and literally loved his wife.

Somewhere in Portugal

Ryoga woke up in his tent in Portugal in his usual getting lost slash teleportation way of travelling. He had no recollection of how he got there or where he was. His head hurt and his mouth felt like sandpaper. He groaned and waited for Ranma to bring him a cup of tea as she normally did in the mornings, then she would climb into bed with him for some secret snuggles. They would kiss, this was the high point of his day, cuddling with the woman he loved and kissing her sweet lips. His eyes snapped open and he realized that there was to be no tea, no snuggles, no kisses and worst of all...no Ranma ever again. He loved Ranma, but he couldn't, she was a guy. A guy who was the best friend that Ryoga had ever had, a smart attractive person and also the woman he loved. He was in love with her and had hurt her horribly; he had denied what his heart already knew and denied her. For the first time in a long time Ryoga cried.

Across town Mousse was experiencing a similar state of morning-after-the-night-before hangover. He leaned forward in bed and groaned, then buried his head under the pillow to ward off the bright, sunny day and happy birds chirping merrily. "Have fun last night Airen?" an amused voice asked him.

He got out from under his pillow and said, "Yes and now I m paying for all the fun I had" he gratefully accepted a glass of water from his amused wife. He hardly ever went out, so it was kind of fun for her to see him like this. He looked at what she was wearing. She wore a simple white sun dress, belted at the waist by a wide, turquoise belt and matching sandals. She looked simple, yet elegant and her slim, still-flat belly didn't show a hint of her pregnancy yet. She had started wearing western clothes when not working and they suited her very well, she still wore her bells in her hair though. She was a beautiful girl who had grown into a beautiful woman.

"Where are you going?" he asked er.

"Restaurant is still closed today; they brought the wrong stove and won't be able to get it here until later tonight. So Kasumi and I are going shopping for fabric to make the curtains for the new restaurant." she explained.

"We re closed tonight?" Mousse said in surprise.

"Yes, so you just sleep off your nasty hangover and when I return we can go out for dinner and go see that sock movie you've been raving about." Shampoo said, tucking the blankets around him.

He looked at her mournfully, "A married man and father-to-be shouldn't going out drinking like he's single, I must be the worse husband ever!" he said.

"Don't be silly, you've only had two hangovers since I've known you, one was after a bachelor party for your friend and the other welcoming him back. You deserve to have some fun between running the restaurant, starting a new one, our catering business and your going to college part-time. Get some rest!" she said and gave him a kiss that melted his bones.

"You sure you have to go?" he asked.

"Yes, see you later Airen!" she said with a small giggle and a tender smile. She closed the curtains and watched while Mousse hugged back into his pillow with a groan. He was a good man and she loved him. As much as he counted himself lucky for marrying her, she felt the same way about him.

She walked down the stairs of their apartment and let herself out the back. She got into their hard top jeep, which was parked next to their catering van and tore off. She loved feeling the wind in her hair as she drove. She slipped on her sunglasses and felt a sense of happiness. Here she was the co-owner of a thriving business; they were well on their way of accomplishing their dream of turning the Nekohanten into a chain. Then there was their catering business that was in demand. She had not only a husband she loved to distraction, but their first child was on the way; not bad for a girl born in the jungle. She was supposed to go pick up Kasumi to take her shopping in Chinatown, but had to pick up her old sewing machine from the Tendo house first so that they could get started on the curtains.

She knocked on the door and was surprised when no one answered it, even with Kasumi, Akane and Nabiki gone from the home, there was usually Mr. Tendo, Ranma or Ryoga there. Her sharp hearing caught the sound of someone sobbing, concerned she looked in the direction of the sound; it seemed to originate from Ranma's room. Noticing that the window was open, she scaled the wall the same way she used to as a girl and swung through it.

She found the small redhead face-down on her futon sobbing with a half empty bottle of sake in front of her. She touched the back of her bright head, noticing that her hair was loose and wondered why. "Ranma, you are okay?" the Amazon woman asked her friend, Ranma raised her head to show a face of abject misery with blotchy red patches, swollen eyes and trembling lips. Shampoo said in a stunned voice, "You're wearing my clothes!" then added in a kinder voice "You look great in Shampoo's clothes."

"Oh, Shampoo!" Ranma said and lunged herself into her arms. She used to hate the forced hugs that the other woman used to give her, but now her motherly bosom and softly tinkling bells meant comfort to her.

Shampoo put her arms around her ex-fiancé "Ranma, its okay, let it out and then tell me what's troubling you so that we can solve this." she said kindly. Through her sobs and hitched breaths, Ranma managed to get the whole story out.

"Ryoga did that!" Shampoo cried in outrage. "How dare he be your first man and discard you like that!"

Ranma's face turned as red as her outfit "w-we never went that far" she assured her.

"Still I feel like digging out my chu and beating some sense into Ryoga" Shampoo said annoyed.

"I-I thought he loved me" Ranma said in a small voice.

Shampoo caressed her cheek "What is not to love?" she said fondly.

"I-I m a shape shifting freak..." she said.

"So is Ryoga, he's the last one who should hold that against you. So are Mousse and I, you don't know the nightmares that I'm having about us taking the baby out and a flash storm coming up." she said. Ranma couldn't help laughing at the image. "Don't give up on Ryoga yet, he's probably confused but he has a good heart and would never lead someone on" she advised her.

"Do you think it's weird that I'm in love with a man?" Ranma asked her.

Shampoo cocked her head "No you have the option to be a man or a woman and you've known Ryoga a long time, its not so crazy that you'd fall for him." she said.

"Like you fell for Mousse?" Ranma asked.

"That was a weird time, I was in love with him, but I was supposed to be in love with you. It's no wonder that we all acted a little crazy back then. All it took was one too many fights with you wiping the floor with him to make my decision" Shampoo said fondly.

Ranma laughed "Yes, how could I forget? Romantic proposal Shampoo style: Mousse yes I will marry you, you idiot, now just pass out already!" she said in imitation.

Shampoo smiled at her "It would have never happened if I had actually loved you, rather then deluding myself, but we would never have lasted. I'm glad that you found someone to love" she said.

"What if he never loves me back?" Ranma asked feeling like her heart was breaking.

"Ryoga's directionally challenged, not a fool. He'll look into his heart, find you there and come home" Shampoo promised.

"Until then?" she asked.

"You wait like the rest of us girls did, for our bullheaded men to realize what we want" she said. "It'll be over sooner than you think; come on a broken heart needs ice cream!" Shampoo said leading her into the kitchen. "Now don't tell any of this to the boys" Shampoo advised her.

"Because it would shock and disgust them?" Ranma asked.

"No because I have to be there to see the expressions on their faces when you tell them!" Shampoo said in amusement. "We're your friends; we want you to be happy. We don t care who you're with as long as they treat you like gold." She looked at Ranma again and had to admit that the outfit she wore looked great on her curves. "I still have plenty of outfits that I've been saving for my daughters, you should come over and we can try them on you to see what you like. I would recommend you take at least one dress, men like it when there are no pants in the way" she told her confidentially. Ranma just blushed at this.

Ryoga

Ryoga found himself in a dive bar drinking sake one night, he didn't even notice the bar fight that was going around him, even when someone broke a chair over his head. He only sighed and took a sip of his sake. Since he'd left Nerima, he had had trouble eating and sleeping. He couldn't get his fight with Ranma off his mind. Making him dinner like that was one of the nicest things that anyone had ever done for him. He also couldn't get the female Ranma out of his mind, the way her lips felt beneath his, how her hair glowed red-gold in the sunlight and that she had eyes that a man could drown in. As a counterpoint to this, the male him was funny, kind and a great friend. Between the two of them, they really did make a single, perfect being. But could Ryoga ignore the she was actually a he?

When they were both in boy form neither had the slightest bit of interest in the other physically. But when Ranma was a girl, Ryoga had a hard time keeping his hands to himself. How many times had he imagined making love to her when their trembling hands had nervously touched each other? Ryoga had thought that he'd loved Akane because she'd accepted him, but it was only his pig side that she had loved. When she'd found out who P-chan was, she'd been a little mad at his deception, but have eventually made it clear that she only liked him as a friend. Ryoga had been crushed and it was Ranma who comforted him, Ranma who accepted him...and Ranma who loved him.

Ranma loved him, and he'd been too stupid to see past her shifting forms and into her heart. Ranma did love him. He, Ryoga who'd searched for love everywhere and it always had eluded him. He'd almost settled for a girl who loved his cursed side more.

A life spent with Ranma wouldn't be normal by any stretch of the imagination, but he doubted that a guy who turned into a pig was her dream come true either. He didn't know if children would be possible, but so what? He'd have Ranma, the other half of his heart that he'd been searching for. He loved Ranma and he missed her. Another chair was broken and then the owner brought out a black market shotgun and shot a hole into his own roof to break up the fight.

"You okay?" Ryoga's waitress asked in concern when she discovered him hunched over his table with woodchips in his hair. He handed her some money.

"I am now. I have to go home to my girlfriend" he said. As he walked into the night, he remembered that he'd saved up money to buy an engagement ring for Akari. He had it in a separate bank account that he never touched. A plan formed in his mind about what to do with that money.

-line-

I know... I'm awesome! Kidding... I thought that was awesome until I saw my latest amount of reviews on Ranma's Boyfriend. Guess people only reviewed knowing I was probably just gonna' make it a few one shots. So, if you're expecting a new chapter of my other story. Be prepared to wait. Because I was broken down harder than I've ever been.

DaisukiFox~


	5. Chapter 5

"I'm not sure about this" Ranma said nervously as she looked at herself in the mirror, reflected back at her was a beautiful redheaded woman wearing a red satin cheongsam with gold Saruka blossoms on it. Her hair was done up in an elaborate updo with two gold Chinese hairpins in it, from which red beads depended. She wore on her feet a pair of red slippers with kitten heels. She looked both feminine and alluring at the same time.

"You look so beautiful, you could give any Amazon beauty a run for her money" her friend said encouragingly.

"You don't think that it's a little much?" Ranma asked.

Shampoo stamped her foot "Asian women are about ornamentation and beauty, there's no such thing as too much. You look like an angel, if Ryoga were here he would drop to his knee and propose to you and he's never even sampled your goodies" she said wickedly. "Which is good, those are always sweeter on the wedding night"

Ranma blushed at this, "did you and Mousse wait for your wedding night?" she asked nervously.

Now Shampoo blushed "this isn't about us; some secrets must remain between a husband and a wife" she said primly. She looked at Ranma again, "I've worked at dressing you up for hours, but it would only take a few minutes to put you back to normal. Are you sure you want to through with this?" she asked her.

"It's time that I come out and let our friends know that I like men." Ranma said with resolve in her voice. There was a party that night at the Tendo residence to welcome Akane back for a visit. Ranma planned to use it as her night to come out of the closet so to speak...and felt like she was wearing the closet in question. She'd asked Shampoo to dress her up in a style befitting a woman in love with a man and that she had. Ryoga had been missing for two months.

"I wish you would dress up with me, I would feel less conspicuous if I had someone else there dressed this way..." Ranma almost pleaded.

Shampoo glanced down at her baby bump "I would love to Ranma, but I outgrew my hotcha momma clothes a while ago. Chinese clothes are not meant for pregnant women." she said in sympathy.

"What do Chinese women wear when they're pregnant?" Ranma asked curious.

"An ugly Chinese cloth sack that the men never see until we are safely married to them and pregnant" Shampoo said with a laugh. She set her hands on Ranma's shoulders "you look so beautiful" she said simply. "If you will call the other non-pregnant girls, I have a suggestion"

Ranma suppressed her feelings of panic as she called each girl in turn; it warmed her heart when they all agreed to Shampoo's suggestion.

Mousse and Kuno had been surprised when their wives had been whisked away at the door. "What's going on?" Kuno asked.

"I don't know, Shampoo has been rummaging through her closet all day long and hinting about a surprise" Mousse replied.

"Women stuff I guess" Kuno said dismissively. "Have you heard from Ryoga lately?" he asked the Amazon male.

"Yes he called to say that he received his invitation to the party, it has been following him around since Spain apparently. He said that he'll be here tonight, I say Monday" Mousse said knowing his directly challenged friend all too well.

"You never know, the GSP app on the cell phone I bought him works pretty well, I have the same one" Kuno argued.

"Yes but its Ryoga, if it was to tell him to go straight down the street to the store, he would take a right, then a left and keep on doing that until he ended up in Ohio" Mousse said.

"Great, text him and tell him to bring me back some corn" Kuno said facetiously. "He'll be here; he says he has big news for us"

They were interrupted when Shampoo came out holding a mike. "Your attention everyone, we have a special presentation this evening" she said. "We would like to present the four season's Asian style. The first is spring where Mother Nature covers her barren branches and paints her carpets a beautiful green color to revived and awaken the land after a long rest" she said. Kasumi came out wearing a lovely jade green satin cheongsam with matching green slipper, her hair was done up with Chinese hairpins and she looked radiant as she stood under a match parasol. She turned a few times and then stood beside Shampoo. Everyone whispered how cute it was when Dr. Tofu's and their young son's glasses fogged up to see her looking so pretty. "Summer has the hottest months, summer mean vacation time, freedom from school and freedom to love" Shampoo said and Akane stepped forth dressed identically to Kasumi, but the beautiful brunette wore a yellow satin cheongsam, yellow slippers and a carried a yellow parasol. She did similar turns and stood beside Kasumi. Everyone clapped, enjoying the party entertainment. "Just as spring heralds summer, fall heralds winter, it lets Mother Nature know that it's almost time to tuck the world under her frosty white blanket for rest. However before she does that, she wraps her handiwork in vibrant colours and really puts on one final show" Shampoo said. There were audible gasps when Ranma came out in her outfit and parasol, she was nervous as all heck, but marched boldly and twirled beautiful. There was confused murmuring when she came to stand beside Akane. Akane herself gave her a squeeze on the shoulder for reassurance. "Now its wintertime, the time of ice and show, Christmas time, warm coats and fun time spent beside a cozy fire. Mother Nature has had a hard year and now is her time for rest" she said and Nabiki came out wearing a white satin cheongsam with white slippers and parasol. Everyone clapped at the finale, but still looked confused at Ranma.

Akane handed Ranma a drink and she gulped it nervously before joining her two friends. "Mousse, Kuno I have something to tell you" she said nervously.

"I guess you do" Kuno said dazed.

"It's not easy for me to admit this" she said.

"Is that really you Ranma?" Mousse asked.

She took a deep breath "I like men" she said.

"Us?" Kuno said.

"No not to the two of you in particular" she assured them. "Well what you do think?" she asked them.

"I think I should have dated you when I had the chance if you looked this good" Mousse joked, cracking a smile.

"After me" Kuno said.

"Seriously" she said.

"I think its great you finally decided what you like" Mousse said. "No coming on to me though, I'm a married man"

"Congrats Ranma, you're going to make a guy really lucky someday" Kuno said slapping her on the back in a still masculine way. "Love the outfit, but it won't be good for guy's night, now girl's night, that's a different story..." Ranma took their gentle razing with good humor, it was official she was out!

Ryoga turned right when his GSP said left; he sighed in frustration and wondered why the stupid phone wasn't working. He'd been trying to get back to Ranma's place for months now and hoped she hadn't lost interest in him. He stopped and listened to the robotic voice trying to get him to reroute, and then turned the opposite way. He was just about to walk forward when something caused him to stop. There on her doorstep was his and all of the water cursed individual's nemesis: the little old lady with her bucket and ladle. He held up his hands, "please don't splash me, this night could be the most important one of my life. If you do you could ruin a future that I desire for myself" he cried passionately. She was confused but paused in her watering her doorstep to prevent dust and waited until he passed. "Thank you" Ryoga said humbly and bowed to her after she allowed him to pass.

He realized that he'd just managed to prevent a stupid accident that he never would have as the bumbling teenaged boy he'd been. He was a man and men don't get lost a few blocks from their destiny. He put on his GPS app and this time followed it correctly. His stride was purposeful as he was admitted into the Tendo house. For the occasion he wore a black suit, with a snowy white shirt, his bandana and a matching tie he'd bought. He touched the small box in his pocket and said in as soft, challenging voice "Saotome you are mine" as he searched for her.

His eyes lit up when he saw her; she was a vision of loveliness as she did shots with Mousse and Kuno. He'd never seen her look so beautiful, this time he said it louder "Saotome you are mine!"

"Ryoga?" she said softly. "What do you mean?"

"You owe me five hundred yen" Kuno said snidely to Mousse.

He took her hand and drew her in front of the entire party "everyone, I would like you to meet my girlfriend Ranma" he called and kissed her in a possessive manner as a couple of glasses were dropped in shock.

Ranma blushed as he stood back from her "I love you Ranma Saotome, I was a fool for thinking otherwise" he said tenderly to her and got down on one knee. He opened the ring box to show her the dainty diamond that he had chosen to express his love for her. "Yes I am a fool, but I'm your fool if you'll have me. Marry me Ranma and I'll spend the rest of my life making this up to you" he declared.

Ranma looked nervously around the room she had just come out in; Mousse's and Kuno's eyes were bugged out of their skulls at this revelation. She looked at all the happy couples that she knew, all of the females nodded encouragingly. "Yes" she said finally.

Ryoga was stunned "just like that? I thought you were going to make me sweat a bit first" he said.

"Nah, I got sick of missing you" she said with a grin. "I love you Ryoga" she whispered as he slipped the ring onto her finger. It was the perfect fit, just like them.

"I love you Ranma" Ryoga said, this time their kiss left them both breathless and they didn't want to stop.

"Now now lovebirds, you get to make whoopee with her when you put a wedding ring on her finger" Shampoo cautioned and pulled Ranma away from the disappointed Ryoga.

Kuno raised his glass "to Ranma and Ryoga" he cried and their friends all toasted them.

Two Weeks Later

It was a beautiful wedding everyone thought, it was a beautiful day and the garden they had chosen to marry in looked enchanted. People were surprised that the bride had chosen to wear a full occidental wedding gown with a veil and bouquet. She looked sweet and lovely as she walked down the aisle after her brightly coloured flower girl and bridesmaids until she stood beside her handsome groom. Her face was radiantly beautiful as she recited her vows in a sweet, clear voice. Everyone held their breath as Ukyou kissed Konatsu.

Ranma sat beside her husband wearing another Chinese outfit that Shampoo had given her, but this one including a satin top with matching dark blue Capri pants. "We could have gotten married like that" Ryoga observed touching her gold ring.

She brushed his own "I enjoyed eloping" she said giving him a wide grin.

"It's hardly eloping when Kuno flew us and all our friends down to his private island and we got married on the beach" Ryoga objected.

"Tell me the two weeks spent in his guest house for honeymoon weren't divine?" Ranma purred. Ryoga thought about their wedding night...and got a nosebleed. "Gee I wonder what you're thinking about pork butt?" she teased her husband.

She joined the rest of her friends in welcoming the final member of the Nerima Wrecking Crew getting married to her new life. Ranma stood there with her tall husband's arm wrapped around her and watched her former enemies and fiancées. They had changed and become gorgeous men and women; they had found mates for themselves and would have children who might even go on to date each other's. Ranma looked at Shampoo's belly and whispered. "Ryoga what if we can never have children, would you be disappointed?" she asked.

Ryoga gave her a mysterious smile, he hadn't told her about the dream he had the night of their wedding. It was set in a time in the not too distant future where Ranma was in a hospital bed looking beautifully disheveled and exhausted. He stood beside her and both of them examined their new baby son with twin looks of love. He glanced at his new wife's still flat belly and said "I'm sure we'll be fine." She looked at him questioningly, but he was too busy looking into their bright future to notice.

-line-

Well, that's it for this story. Also... a little news on the newest chapter of Ranma's Boyfriend. That will come out! I just took a huge hit to my spirit and I needed some time to recover. Now that I have, I'm gonna' get back to writing.

When I said there'd be a delay in the next chapter! It didn't mean I was holding it back just for the need to be annoyed! I also didn't know where I was going, so, chanes were you were all going to have to wait anyways.

So, hopefully I haven't lost too much readers by this point. And hope you enjoy my newest chapter, once again this isn't totally my style of editing. it's my friends. I'm doing her a favor.

So, if you're waiting for Ranma's Boyfriend. Expect it to come out sometime in July, probably early June or July.

Also... thanks to some who insulted me and made me feel even worse about my self. I'd like to thank EmeraldGlee for helping my feel good... really, I don't deserve what she said about me. Though if you're reading this EmeraldGlee... thanks. I'm glad you think I'm one of the best, when I'm just a middle class RanmaXRyoga writer. ^^

DaisukiFox~


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